I Come From Boston
In Boston we tend to add r’s where they don’t belong and subtract them where they do. Some of you may have heard of “Pahk youh Cah in Hahvahd Yahd” for “Park your Car in Harvard Yard.” (Never been to Harvard Yard myself. Also we tend to add them where there are none. Like that is a good “idear” (instead of idea.)
Raspberry Sherbet, Digital © Diane Clancy
I grow up semi-rural outside of Boston but I still had the accent. And I have lived out in the western part of Massachusetts (try spelling that for a state as a kid) for over 35 years. But I still have a slight Boston accent.
I decided to change the name of this from “Raspberry Light” to “Raspberry Sherbet” – except I spelled it “Sherbert” – you know, the way it sounds in Boston. Luckily spell-checker alerted me to a problem so I wouldn’t spell it the way I pronounce it!
Now you know one of my quirks …
~ Diane Clancy
That’s hilarious! I remember someone wearing a t-shirt that said “Hahvahd” on it – love Boston and fried scrod!
There is a street in a town close to where I live named after one of the original founding fathers — Buhne. It is pronounced Booner. The way to discover someone new to the area is listening to them bungle the pronunciation. Regional language is so fascinating. I never could understand how some people managed to slip an “R” into w-a-s-h.
~Sue
Now “slip an “R†into w-a-s-h.” – wouldn’t that be Michigan? We don’t do that one in Boston!
~ Diane Clancy
it’s more a missouri/southern iowa thing…
Funny…that’s how they say wash in Texas too! What a coincidence too: I have just posted something on language…Must be the staws..er..the stars tonight. I love it when you write about your life. And earlier, I had forgotten to say: yay for real titles! You go, girl!!